Ballot Question 2: Extending Lease Agreements for State | News

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This November, voters are also deciding whether to make changes to the State Constitution.

One ballot question focuses on charter schools. The second ballot question would allow the General Assembly to authorize certain state agencies to enter into multi-year rental agreements.

State Senator Cecil Staton, who's a sponsor of the legislation, says the goal of the second ballot question is to save the state money.

Both questions have passed the state House and Senate, but for the changes to the Constitution to take effect, the majority of Georgia voters also must approve.

"When any agency of the state government goes out to lease property, they have previously only been able to do one-year leases," Staton said. "When you do a one-year lease you're obviously not going to get as favorable of a rate as if you can do a multi-year lease."

He says the government has dozens of leases across the state.

One example is the Georgia College location in downtown Macon.

By extending the lease agreement, he says it can help save money in an already strapped budget.

"It's really an initiative that comes from good business sense," said Staton. "If you're in business you're going to try to negotiate the best lease, the cheapest lease you possibly can for your space; whether it's a retail space or an office building. We want to the state to be able to have a little bit more flexibility so it to can negotiate better lease rates."

Staton says there's also a provision that says the state can terminate the lease agreement in case they don't have the money in the budget

So far, there's no organized opposition to Question 2.

For both of the ballot questions, you will either vote yes for the amendment or no if you're against it.